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Tree Rings: The Long View of Climate

July 11, 2017 @ 3:00 am - 9:00 am UTC-6

Within their annual rings, trees capture the conditions and events that shaped their lives over hundreds or even thousands of years. Join research scientist Jeff Lukas of the University of Colorado Boulder to learn how dendrochronology (tree-ring science) can unlock these long records and shed light on the past. We’ll focus on what tree rings can tell us about climate, while also touching on tree biology, forest ecology, and hydrology. We’ll start at ACES’ Hallam Lake nature preserve with an orientation to tree rings, spend a few hours in the field taking core samples from old, drought-sensitive trees, head back to mount and sand the cores and then see what we can learn about the past climate of the Roaring Fork Valley – and perhaps the future climate, too.

This class requires advance registration to ensure appropriate planning for the field experience. Registration period closes 2 days before the start of the class.